NEW YORK | MetLife Building | 808 FT / 247 M | 59 FLOORS | 1963 - Page 3

CarlosV · #41 Posted: **Sep 11, 2011, 11:22 PM**

DSC_2653 by Ceva321, on Flickr

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DSC_2654 by Ceva321, on Flickr

jd3189 · #42 Posted: **Jan 27, 2012, 3:48 AM**

http://sleepny.lefora.com/2009/08/27...life-building/

Would you?

Amanita · #43 Posted: **Jan 27, 2012, 6:34 AM**

Heck yeah

marvelfannumber1 · #44 Posted: **Jan 27, 2012, 6:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunser

Nicolas Grevet

Woah when did they replace the cobber on the Lincoln building! It looks really good now.

hunser · #45 Posted: **Apr 8, 2012, 12:46 PM**

MetLife from the west von Hanselico auf Flickr

IMG_2110 von glennmccarley1 auf Flickr

Terminal Rush von Nrbelex auf Flickr

Guiltyspark · #46 Posted: **Apr 11, 2012, 4:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunser

no, it's second (3,140,000 sq ft) after 55 water street (3.8 million square feet). but yeah, metlife is one of the most massive towers in NYC and, generally speaking, in the US.

Only 3.1 and 3.8 million square feet? That is cute. Here in Michigan we have the Renaissance Center (GM world headquarters (built by Ford oddly enough)) 5.6 million square feet, and the Chrysler world headquarters 5.3 million square feet. Even Chicago has Sears at 4.5 million square feet.

Seriously though. Met Life has really grown on me. It makes me think of Rockefeller Center since it is so wide and narrow. And like Rockefeller, I think it looks best from its narrow side.

P.S. Someone really needs to make a graphic of the Chrysler world headquarters. Its main office tower is not very tall at only 15 or 16 floors, but it soars above everything else north of Troy in the northern suburbs.

NOPA · #47 Posted: **May 4, 2012, 4:58 AM**

This is actually my favorite tower in NYC. It has a cool mid-century modern/Mad Men feel too it that I love. I think its old enough that it is again cool.

Anyway, I would love to see them give it a good solid refurbish like they have to the UN tower (maybe not that extreme). New modern windows that are more energy efficient and translucent. Clean the stone facade a bit (make it a little more whiter/cleaner looking), de-clutter the top, maybe a brushed aluminum strip around the very top? Also redo/reclad the base. A skilled architect could pull it off and give a nice update. Thoughts?

hunser · #48 Posted: **May 22, 2012, 6:09 PM**

New York City on May 15, 2012 von mudpig auf Flickr

CarlosV · #49 Posted: **Sep 16, 2012, 11:24 AM**

When it opened on March 7, 1963 the Pan Am Building (as it was known at the time) was the largest commercial office space in the world.

IMG_6326 copy by Ceva321, on Flickr

looking sharp nice and clean!

jd3189 · #50 Posted: **Sep 16, 2012, 5:11 PM**

I wonder why they never added an observation deck in the top. It would give great views of the Chrysler and other towers in East Midtown. Not to mention a great view of Park Avenue and the future projects around it. It even has a large floor plan like the GE. Just wondering if it could ever be done.

NYC4Life · #51 Posted: **Sep 17, 2012, 1:35 AM**

I believe much of the dislike for this building has diminished over the years. It is an interesting tower that's an icon in the skyline.

CarlosV · #52 Posted: **Sep 17, 2012, 2:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jd3189

I wonder why they never added an observation deck in the top. It would give great views of the Chrysler and other towers in East Midtown. Not to mention a great view of Park Avenue and the future projects around it. It even has a large floor plan like the GE. Just wondering if it could ever be done.

did you know the building previously had helicopter service to Pan Am's terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport, a 7-to-10-minute flight from the rooftop helipad. The New York Airways Vertol 107 flights lasted from December 21, 1965, to February 18, 1968; Sikorsky S-61 flights operated for a few months in 1977, ending after an accident atop the building killed five people.

On May 16, 1977, about one minute after a Sikorsky S-61L landed and its 20 passengers disembarked, the right front landing gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to topple onto its side with the rotors still turning.

One of the five 20-foot blades broke off and flew into a crowd of passengers waiting to board. Three men, including film director Michael Findlay, were killed instantly and another man died later in a hospital.

The blade sailed over the side of the building and killed a pedestrian on the corner of Madison Avenue and 43rd Street. Two other people were seriously injured.

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uaarkson · #53 Posted: **Sep 17, 2012, 2:55 AM**

Driving down Park Avenue at night is like being in Blade Runner thanks to this tower.